Walkersville to Discuss Monocacy Scenic River Management Plan

The Walkersville Planning Commission will hold a public information meeting on the Monocacy Scenic River Management Plan on Tuesday, January 24, 2017. The meeting will be the Planning Commission’s regularly scheduled Public Hearing. The meeting will be held at 7:30 p.m. Due to the large public interest and number of e-mails the Town of Walkersville has received, the meeting will be held in the upstairs meeting room of Walkersville Town Hall.

The plan, presented for public input last year, caused a lot of concern among property owners along the Monocacy River. The plan is actually an update of a plan that was submitted and approved in 1990. While many property owners have complained that the plan will take away their property or their property rights, the plan actually does not mandate, but makes recommendations. According to the committee,

“The Plan and its recommendations would first have to be adopted by the local governments. The Plan’s suggested recommendations are proposed for consideration and to encourage collaboration among all parties to improve and protect the Monocacy Scenic River’s unique and sensitive resources. The goal of the suggested recommendations is not to stop development or impede agriculture and other initiatives, but to advocate for sustainable land uses, best management practices, and activities that respect and protect the River, its corridor and watershed.”